The class of 2025 features a few recruits from countries that haven’t sent a lot of athletes to the NCAA. In addition to the wider international representation, there are some new skills that we may see in the upcoming year that have been quite rare in the past. But it’s not just the international athletes coming with the originality, some American athletes are currently competing unique skills of their own!
Ana Bărbosu
College: Stanford
While the order of this list is alphabetical, it is fitting that it begins with Bărbosu, who competes unique skills on all four events. In Paris, Bărbosu competed a Tsukahara double full, though at the recent European Championships she competed the Tsuk one and a half. Despite the fact that she has competed a double-twisting Yurchenko in her career, it seems more likely that she will compete a Tsukahara-style vault in college, such as a laid-out full or a tucked one and a half. On bars, her opening skill is a Shang half, a clear-hip piked Tkatchev with a half turn! While exceptionally difficult, we have seen the very difficult Nabieva in NCAA in the past, so it is possible this skill may make an appearance. On beam, her acrobatic series is a difficult front handspring to front tuck, and on floor, she competes a turn with three and a half rotations.
Charlotte Booth
College: Auburn
Fitting for an athlete representing Great Britain, Booth competes a Tweddle, named for the renowned British bars worker, Beth Tweddle. This skill is a toe-on straddled Tkatchev with a half turn. Unfortunately, an Achilles injury halted Booth’s elite season, but she is sure to have a routine to be excited about in the Auburn bars lineup once she is recovered!
Deziray Boykin
College: Northern Illinois
A level 10 athlete out of Gymcats in Nevada, Boykin competes a rarely-seen bars dismount, a front one and a half twist. Connected out of either a forward giant or a backward giant with a half turn, both C-rated skills, this dismount meets difficulty requirements set out in the Code of Points, while gaining a tenth in connective bonus. Boykin’s dismount is well performed and will be welcomed by Husky fans.
Molly Brinkman
College: LSU
The first of three Clemson Class of 2025 recruits to switch commitments after the coaching changes, Brinkman is an exciting addition to a new set of Tigers. While most known for her Yurchenko one and a half on vault, Brinkman has unique skills on bars and floor as well. On bars, she competes a toe-on full-twisting front tuck dismount! While toe-on front salto dismounts are reasonably common amongst international athletes, it is rare to see this type of skill from a level 10, and rarer still to see this particular variation. On floor, she competes a full-twisting double pike, and considering LSU’s reputation for keeping difficult skills in its floor routines, there is a strong chance we will see this in the PMAC.
Gabrielle Gauger
College: Michigan
While Michigan’s Class of 2025 is headlined by Myli Lew, an elite fan favorite, this has perhaps left Gauger unduly overlooked. Unfortunately, an injury has prevented her from refining the difficult skills she competed during her senior season, but we can still hope to see them at Michigan. On beam, Gauger competes a side aerial to roundoff connection, a side aerial to scale, and a Y-turn. On floor, she competes a double arabian.
Amelia Lannon
College: New Hampshire
Another recruit more known for her Yurchenko one and a half on vault, Lannon also competes a unique series on beam that could feature in the Wildcat lineup. Her side aerial to side aerial series is performed with confidence and would be a welcome deviation from the expected.
Jaylyn Nagle
College: Uncommitted
This Canadian level 10 has been discussed quite often recently, partially due to her winning the Canadian vault title with her handspring front pike, but primarily because she is still uncommitted! The unique skills she competes come on beam and floor, leaving her a well-rounded athlete that a college team would be lucky to pick up. On beam, her front handspring to front toss to a seated position draws attention. On floor, though her punch tucked double front is her stand out skill, it’s her artistry and movement quality that really make her special.
Ashlee Sullivan
College: UCLA
An elite athlete currently having an exceptionally successful year, Sullivan competes multiple skills rarely seen in college. On bars, she competes a Weiler half, on beam she competes a standing arabian, and on floor she competes a Silivas. While it is uncertain how many of these skills may feature in Bruin lineups, she is sure to have a strong impact!
Jennifer Williams
College: Stanford
While this list does already include a Stanford recruit, it would not be right to exclude Williams. Her beam and floor routines are both exceptional and include some unique skills. Her layout mount on beam makes a statement from the very beginning and her side aerial to layout stepout series only adds to the overall quality. Her double L turn and double arabian on floor are also both exceptional.
Kelise Woolford
College: Georgia
Another ex-Clemson commit, Woolford switched to Georgia before the coaching changes. While the Bulldogs eagerly await her bar routine, she is more than a one-event wonder. On beam, she competes a unique series that calls into question what her college acro series might be. While her back handspring to full-twisting back tuck would usually be considered too difficult for NCAA, Woolford has expressed an interest in continuing to compete at the elite level, so it may make an appearance if she can perform it consistently.
READ MORE HERE: Class of 2026 Recruits With Unique Skills to Get Excited About
By Gemma Selby
